The present invention pertains to packaging clips and palletized packages, and more particularly to a new alternating U-channel clip for supporting and maintaining the stable spatial relation of upstanding end boards on an industrial-sized textile roll palletized package.
Packaging clips have previously been used in the textile industry for packing large rolls of textiles, such as paper or plastic film. Use of clips is a safer and more secure way to load and ship a pallet of rolls for shipment to customers when used in connection with rectangular or square rigid end boards connected to the ends of each roll by roll plugs. The flat edges of end boards prevent the rolls from rolling as they sit on a surface. By using end boards, rolls may be elevated from the pallet, spaced from other rolls, and more securely stacked on a pallet than may be accomplished by attempting to place rolls directly on a pallet without end boards. Without end boards, rolls are susceptible to engaging each other and becoming damaged or rolling off the pallet and thus require greater attention and effort to ensure secure placement on the pallet. Packaging clips are used to secure end boards to a pallet. Packaging clips are used for receiving and stabilizing the placement of end boards on the pallet and their alignment with each other.
In general, upstanding rectangular or square end boards are secured to the ends of a roll by roll plugs, and multiple rolls are stacked on a pallet in a spaced condition. End boards keep the rolls separated and connected to the pallet. In order to stabilize the spacial relation of end boards on the pallet, U-channel clips are secured to the pallet and the end board edges are inserted into the clips which act as rails to limit the lateral movement in two directions. The remaining directions of lateral movement are limited by polymeric or metal banding securing the rolls to the pallet.
Depending on the size of the rolls, multiple rolls may be placed on a single pallet, and stacked on top of one another in a spaced relation. Although the flat edges of the end boards allow for level stacking of rolls, movement and shaking while a pallet is lifted by a forklift or otherwise transported makes it likely that the alignment of the end boards will shift. As a result, H-channel clips have been used to accurately position and maintain the alignment of end boards of rolls stacked on top of each other. The bottom channel of the H-channel clip is placed on the top edges of the end boards on the bottom of the pallet. The stacked rolls are then placed in the top channel of the H-channel clip, which serves like the U-channel clip secured to the pallet for the lower rolls to limit the movement of the top rolls in relation to the bottom rolls and to each other. The H-channels used for this purpose, while generally adequate, have general inadequacies that parties who engage in shipping rolls this way have demanded be overcome with an improved design. Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved packaging clip for the stable stacking of rolls on a pallet.
The H-channel clips currently used for stacking rolls with flat-edged end boards are generally manufactured of extruded aluminum. As a result, although relatively light in weight, they have a greater tendency to be bent out of their proper shape, making the clip useless for its intended purpose. Also, extruded aluminum is relatively expensive compared to other more rigid metals. Upstanding end boards used for rolls have a relatively wide range of tolerances with regard to the thickness of the board. The H-clips have a much narrower range of tolerances in order to be almost uniform in dimension from clip to clip. As a result, when a board is inserted into a clip, the fit of the board in the clip may be tight or loose. For the lower rolls placed directly on a pallet, a loose fit is generally of little concern because the U-channel clip attached to the pallet and the H-channel clip used for stacking, in addition to the weight of the upper rolls, give the lower rolls an added stability in addition to the advantage of having a lower center of gravity. However, a loose fit for stacked rolls placed in the top channel of an H-channel clip can result in decreased stability in their alignment with each other that is more difficult to compensate for. As a result, extra care in banding the rolls to the pallet must be taken. Thus it is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved packaging clip manufactured of a more rigid material that is less expensive and that is less likely to suffer accidental bending or altering of its useful shape. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved packaging clip that can be adjusted to individually grip end boards of upper rolls stacked on lower rolls in order to stabilize the alignment of the upper rolls.
Packaging clips commonly used for stacking rolls often have sharp corners on the upstanding sides. The sharp corners can result in scratches and gouges in the rolls themselves that damages the first few layers of the rolled material, or even cause bodily injury to the persons handling the clips. Thus it is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved packaging clip that has rounded corners less likely to cause scratches, gouges, or human bodily injury.
Finally, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved packaging clip having all of the above identified features.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved packaging clip for the stable stacking of rolls on a pallet.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved packaging clip manufactured of a more rigid material that is less expensive and that is less likely to suffer accidental bending or altering of its useful shape.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved packaging clip that can be adjusted to individually grip end boards of upper rolls stacked on lower rolls in order to stabilize the alignment of the upper rolls.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved packaging clip that has rounded corners less likely to cause scratches, gouges, or human bodily injury.
It is finally an object of the invention to provide a new and improved packaging clip having all of the above identified features and a new palletized roll package.
In the broader aspects of the invention, there is provided a new and improved packaging clip comprising alternating upwardly and downwardly facing U-channels for receiving the upstanding flat-edged end boards of industrial-sized textile rolls stacked on a pallet for shipping purposes The new clip is a single, elongated galvanized metal piece having three distinct U-channels aligned longitudinally and having a common middle support portion. The outer channels are open in a direction opposite that of the middle channel. The outer channels also each receive the edges of a single end board. The middle channel receives generally equal amounts of the edges of two end boards placed adjacent to each other on a pallet. The outer channels each receive the edges of one of two adjacently placed end boards, each outer channel being capable of gripping the end board received therein in the event that the fit therein is too loose. This new and improved U-channel packaging clip maintains the alignment of flat-edged end boards stacked 2xc3x972 (#columnsxc3x97#rows). Each of the channels has rounded corners for safety. The new and improved packaging clip allows for a plurality of palletized roll packages other than the conventional 2xc3x972 package.